Contents

History

Past

Rakiya's meeting with Claire's father, Marco Bennett, is told by Claire as she stands before Queen Agarte Lindblum in the throne room of Calegia Castle. Rakiya met Marco long before the events of the story while the two were both lost in a pitch-black cave. The two encouraged one another as they searched for the cave's exit, surprised the next morning when they finally ventured outside the cave and saw each other. Marco believed Rakiya to be a "cute, dainty young lady", when in reality, she was a "muddy village girl with frizzy hair". Likewise, Marco was revealed to be "a toothpick of a man with a shaggy beard" instead of the "strong, dependable gentleman" Rakiya imagined him to be. The two laughed at this reality but had grown close to one another while inside the cave, emphasizing their inner selves to be more significant that their outward appearances.

Role in the Plot

Rakiya is first shown at the Bennett house after Claire returns with Veigue and his new companions. She appears glad that Claire has returned to normal while attempting to console Veigue out of his self-loathing state. When Marco enters with news of soldiers storming the village at the assembly hall's plaza, Rakiya joins the group in finding Saleh and Tohma of the Four Stars gathering beautiful Huma girls to take the most beautiful with them, Claire later being selected. Rakiya and Marco are forcibly silent as Claire is taken away, being left with Zapie, whom Claire instructed to remain behind with her parents. Before leaving to find Claire, Rakiya pleads with Mao and Eugene Gallardo to look after Veigue and Claire.

While Veigue addresses Rakiya with "Aunt", Marco makes it clear to Veigue that he is, by all means, his and Rakiya's son. After the events in Balka at Calegia Castle, "Claire", who is actually Agarte in Claire's body, returns home, though she acts disoriented after the recent traumatic events. Rakiya and Marco remain glad to see her home safe, regardless, and it is Rakiya who encourages Veigue to accompany Annie Barrs and help Eugene. Later in the story, Veigue returns home with "Claire", who is still Agarte occupying Claire's body. Although Rakiya and Marco are happy to see "Claire" again, they acknowledge the fact that "Claire" is not their daughter, surprising Veigue but leaving him with the resolve to bring the real Claire back someday.